Stephen Sondheim's 90th Birthday Celebrated In Starry Online Event

New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Stephen Sondheim, who turned 90 on March 22, was given a birthday celebration to remember when scores of artists came together, virtually, to perform his songs on Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration last night.

The two-plus-hour event, a benefit for ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty), was hosted by Raúl Esparza and includes performances and birthday wishes from Esparza, Mandy Patinkin, Audra McDonald, Meryl Streep, Patti LuPone, Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Lane, Kelli O'Hara, Laura Benanti, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Donna Murphy, Alexander Gemignani, and so many more.

The celebration on Sunday night coincided with the 50th anniversary of the opening of Sondheim's Broadway show Company, and served as a fundraiser for Artists Striving to End Poverty.

Sutton Foster was the first to sing, picking There Won't Be Trumpets, with her young daughter, Emily, wishing Sondheim a happy birthday at the end.

Christine Baranski, Audra McDonald and Meryl Streep each downed glasses of booze to team up for a raucous version of The Ladies Who Lunch.

Neil Patrick Harris sang The Witch's Rap, and thanked Sondheim, saying: "He made me love theatre, he made me love music, he made me love rhythm."

Harris' children also played a role in the performance, bowing at the end.

Jason Alexander of Seinfeld fame spoke of being challenged by the composer, while Annaleigh Ashford and Gyllenhaal reunited for a song from their 2017 Broadway partnership, the Sondheim revival of Sunday In The Park With George.
To donate to ASTEP, visit broadway.com/sondheim90.